LOOKING GLASS

For a beauty encounter of a holistic kind, draw your palms together in your heart space for Aman Skincare – a new skincare and body line from luxury travel group Aman

BY CLAIRE BINGHAM

Aman is renowned for impeccably designed resorts all over the world, so it’s perhaps surprising that the luxury hotel group hasn’t made a foray into a spa collection before. Now, though, you can enjoy a little Aman magic at home thanks to the launch of new holistic range Aman Skincare – while upping your bathroom shelfie ante with the sake bottle-inspired designs by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.

Recently renowned for the cliff-like V&A Dundee museum building in Scotland, Kengo’s intention with this beauty brief was to capture the essence of Aman in physical form. The curves of the handsomely shaped bottles fit beautifully in the hand and it’s a sensorial experience – from the smoothness of touch to the appearance of the natural wood grain – and, of course, the sublime scents and star performance of the unisex products inside.

Categorised into three skincare ‘pathways’ – Grounding, Nourishing and Purifying – the sustainable collection takes its cue from nature and ancient wellness traditions, with ingredients influenced by the various Aman resort destinations.

BY CLAIRE BINGHAM

There’s something properly luxurious about scent that is carried not by alcohol but by oil. The silkiness of the texture and how it melts into the skin are so much more tangible than a traditional spritz application – and all the more captivating for it. It’s the bohemian mood that it puts us in. From a beauty perspective, we have been living in the age of oil for some time, but now perfume oils are also catching on as a home fragrance. Here is our pick of scented oils to bring stylish seduction to your skin or space.

Hermès ‘Hermessence’We start with Swiss-Italian perfumer Christine Nagel, the resident nose at French luxury label Hermès since 2016, who has introduced perfume oils to the house for the very first time as part of the latest additions to the ‘Hermessence’ range. Of her five-strong Orient-inspired and layerable collection, there are two totally dreamy oil-based scents: ‘Cardamusc’ and ‘Musc Pallida’. The first is laced with fresh but spicy cardamom, the other with sensual iris. ‘I wanted to return to the origins of perfumery and immerse myself in its history,’ says Nagel of the liquid gold creations that slowly pour from similarly molten, amber glass bottles.hermes.com

Hermès ‘Musc Pallida’ and ‘Cardamusc’ essence de parfum, £275 each for 20ml

AesopRecognised for its beautiful stores, Australian skincare brand Aesop has now introduced some interiors magic to the collection. Its first Aesop Home piece, the sculptural ‘Brass Oil Burner’ was designed by Sydney-based Studio Henry Wilson, who was behind the decor of a couple of Aesop’s stores (Balmain and Crows Nest in Sydney), as well as a 2017 exhibition at Milan’s Brera showroom. Formed with an ancient wax-mould technique used to cast its solid brass shape, this weighty, one-kilogram vessel teams Aesop’s streamlined design aesthetic with functionality to disperse tailor-made essential oils. A cradle for the oil, this glowing chunk of metal was chosen not only for its looks but also for its superior heat transfer properties, tactility and warm affiliation with candle light. Just add five to 10 drops of your preferred oil blend to the oil well – choose between floral citrus ‘Anouk’, spicy citrus ‘Catherine’, minty ‘Isabelle’ or woody citrus ‘Béatrice’ – alongside a standard tea light. It doesn’t get any simpler or more appealing.aesop.comhenrywilson.com.au

‘Brass Oil Burner’, £120; ‘Béatrice’ oil burner blend, £25 for 25ml

LumiraBlending wanderlust-inspired concoctions, Australian fragrance and candle brand Lumira specialises in olfactory escapism with each scent a tribute to a global adventure. Founded by Sydneysider Almira Armstrong in 2013, the label follows a lifelong love of fragrance. Her tempting range of five perfume oils includes a Persian rose-scented roll-on, which combines top notes of bergamot with a dark amber base. We like. atelierlumira.com

JoyaExpanding into perfume oils from candles, Frederick Bouchardy of New York label Joya loves the intimate, bespoke quality of an oil-based fragrance that changes significantly according to the wearer’s body chemistry. Handmade and poured in the Brooklyn studio, Joya’s essential oil blends come in travel roll-ons – but from a design point of view, we’re most excited about the slip cast porcelain bottles made by US ceramic artist Sarah Cihat. Did anyone mention the 22-carat gold-dipped wands? A very nice finishing touch.joyastudio.com

Captivating Japan is the inspiration behind three recent fragrance and beauty line launches, with elegant zen-chic design and oriental packaging to match. We spy a trend!

BY AMY BRADFORD

FLORAÏKUPoetry, perfume and design come together in 2017-launched fragrance line Floraïku, created by French-Irish couple Clara and John Molloy (also the founders of cult scent brand Memo Paris). The collection of 12 fragrances, created with noses Alienor Massenet, Sophie Labbé and Sarah Burri, is inspired by Japanese culture: each bottle features a patterned stopper that recalls traditional lacquerware, and is presented in a bento-style box decorated with trails of cherry blossom and an evocative haiku.

TOP: Ginger, white tea and cardamom 'I Am Coming Home' eau de parfum by FloraïkuRIGHT: Floraïku's eau de parfums 'My Love Has the Colour of the Night', patchouli, gaiac wood and vetiver;'Sleeping on the Roof',lily of the valley, orange blossom and amber muskBELOW: 'First Dream of the Year', grapefruit, orange blossom and iris; 'In the Rain',bergamot, cedar and woody musk (a twelfth scent launched this March) £250 each for 50ml, 10ml refill and purse spray

ABOVE: Sample the scent range over a cup of seasonal tea at the perfume bar at Floraïku's Japanese-influenced London boutique at Harrods' Salon de Parfums. All fragrances contain more than 50 per cent natural ingredients and are refillable

We love the individual illustrations designed for each scent by French artist Victoire Cathalan, drawing on watercolours and Indian inks and printed on the bottle's fabric-covered cap, which doubles as a travel or purse spray. The brand opened its first boutique at Harrods’ Salon de Parfums, based on a traditional Japanese ryokan, or inn, and decorated with straw, silk and marble. New York's Saks Fifth Avenue also welcomed Floraïku to its new beauty floor this May, bringing zen serenity to the city that never sleeps.us.floraiku.com

SHIROWe’ve long admired Japanese design for its ruthless simplicity and attention to detail – but it’s not just its furniture and buildings that display these qualities. Japanese skincare is growing in popularity in the west, and in response stylish brand Shiro has opened a boutique on London’s Kings Road – its first anywhere outside Japan. Recently two more stores launched on Covent Garden's Monmouth Street and St Christopher's Place off Oxford Street. The pale white and wood spaces display products beautifully packaged in frosted and white glass: the body and fragrance range is our highlight, in particular the jasmine-scented fabric conditioner (£25). Skin-softening ‘sake kasu’, a by-product of the sake production process rich in rice protein, is a key ingredient for the brand, alongside other traditional oriental extracts like adzuki bean, known for its cleansing properties, and moisterising 'gagome kombu', derived from kelp.shiro-shiro.jp; shiro-shiro.uk

'HWYL' BY AESOPGiven the array of wonderful aromas in Aesop skincare products, it’s surprising to think that it only has three perfumes in its collection. But the Australian-born brand works at its own pace, only launching new scents when it is ready. Accordingly, the third fragrance, 'Hwyl' (pronounced ‘hoo-will’), has only recently emerged. Created with hip young French perfumer Barnabé Fillion, it’s a real cultural mishmash, with the name coming from old Welsh – a somewhat intangible word that variously means emotional fervour, nature, and temper or mood – and the composition influenced by Japan. ‘My inspiration was walking among 300-year-old Hiba trees in an ancient Japanese forest and experiencing the country’s lush temple moss gardens,’ says Fillion, who has conjured an intensely green scent with notes of thyme, cypress, woods, vetiver and frankincense. ‘It captures the feeling of solitude and refuge in nature,’ he adds. Unassumingly packaged in amber glass with seductive plant imagery by Australian generative artist Jonathan McCabe inside the sleek grey-green box, this cool, verdant scent is sure to be a hit.aesop.com

When it comes to home fragrance scented candles currently hold the number one spot in the Western world. We think it's time to recalibrate and welcome incense back into our homes...

BY DEE IVA

The Fizz is a big fan of the fragrant home. From fresh floral scents in summer to warm spices and amber in winter, the right home fragrance lifts your spirits the moment you open the door.

The ubiquitous scented candle has become the go-to purchase in recent years. Every major fashion house and perfume brand has a collection of seductive scents to tempt you. The high street is also in on the game offering budget options along with that other mainstay of home fragrance the reed diffuser.

Incense sticks, however, seem to have dropped off the radar altogether but we think their return is long overdue. They can be left burning without the risk of setting fire to soft furnishings and, unlike candles, don’t leave a residue of soot on the ceiling. Their fragrance packs a mighty punch and is stronger than that from reed diffusers which have to be inverted when their scent grows weak.

Previous hippy associations may once have made them deeply unhip but now the beau monde is seeking out decidedly more upmarket versions to scent their design-savvy homes. Smart incense sticks are harder to find than candles and diffusers so we’ve tracked down five of the best to buy right now.

ABOVE: The 'Circa' incense gift set by Cinnamon Projects features a solid brass burner and disc

CINNAMON PROJECTSNew York-based Cinnamon Projects is the brainchild of Andrew Cinnamon and Charlie Stackhouse, whose cutting-edge incense sets using solid brass and semi-precious stones take luxe to a new level. Fittingly for the city that never sleeps, its five fragrances are named after different hours of the day starting at ‘7am’ with meditative black tea, clay, driftwood and marigold through to ‘2am’ with wafts of decadent cedarwood, cinnamon, honey and vetiver. New scent 'You Are Here' is an intoxicating blend of clay, immortelle, patchouli, rose, musk and sandalwood. The elegant Japanese-style incense sticks burn for 25 minutes each.cinnamonprojects.com

Incense gift sets from US$105. Each set includes 50 incense sticks (10 from each fragrance ie '7am', '4pm', '8pm', '12am' and '2am') and a solid brass burner. The special 'Circa Minerals' set also comes with a semi-precious stone disc, with eight choices including rose quartz, black onyx and lapis lazuli. Refill packs of 25 sticks, US$30 each, are packaged in a glass tube and paper foil-stamped gift box. 'Incense Discovery Set', US$55 for 50 incense sticks (as before). 'You Are Here', US$40 for 25 incense sticks

FORNASETTI PROFUMIIconic Milanese design atelier Fornasetti is a firm Fizz favourite. Its home fragrance arm Fornasetti Profumi is responsible for a wide range of stylish home scents all presented in beautifully designed ceramic holders.

Two incense fragrances are available, each with its own set of handcrafted wooden boxes with decorated ceramic lids. ‘Otto’ is Fornasetti’s signature scent redolent with Mediterranean herbs and woody undertones. Created by master perfumer Olivier Polge, it is grand and sophisticated yet immediately relaxing. ‘Flora di Fornasetti’ is a white floral bouquet inspired by the gardens around the family house in Milan and the floral illustrations of Piero Fornasetti. Created by Emmanuel Philip, its pretty notes of jasmine, lily of the valley and tuberose are perfect for hazy summer days.fornasetti.com

ASTIER DE VILLATTEFounded by Benoît Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli in 1996, French homewares brand Astier de Villatte is best known for its 18th and 19th century-inspired handmade range of ceramics and glassware produced in an antique Bastille workshop in Paris. A collaboration in 2008 with Japanese fragrance company Takasago saw it branch out into the world of perfume, scented candles and incense.

The newest incense fragrance ‘Awaji’ blends jasmine, resin, driftwood and immortelle resulting in a welcoming sweet woody scent. Created by Nathalie Feisthauer and made on the Japanese island of Awaji, it joins Astier de Villatte’s existing collection of 12 incense aromas, all discreetly packaged in its distinctive illustrated blue and cream boxes.astierdevillatte.com

CZECH & SPEAKEHigh-end British bathroom retailer Czech & Speake is one of London’s smartest retail brands. Established in 1980 in Jermyn Street by Frank Sawkins, its name is synonymous with quality and timeless English style. Its incense collections capture two of Czech & Speake's most popular fragrances. 'No.88', Czech & Speake’s signature scent, has notes of bergamot, geranium, rose otto, vetiver and sandalwood while ‘Frankincense and Myrrh’ has exotic oriental ingredients including warm frankincense and tangy myrrh coupled with orange, lemon and basil. Both scents are available in kits and as giant sticks for outdoor use.czechandspeake.com

COMMES DES GARCONSLeftfield Japanese fashion house Commes des Garçons has always been the must-have brand for fashionistas looking for something off the beaten track and its range of perfumes has been as offbeat as its fashion.

CDG’s five incense aromas are inspired by spiritual teachings: ‘Avignon’ – Catholicism, ‘Ouarzazate’ – Islam, ‘Zagorsk’ – Orthodox Christianity, ‘Jaisalmer’ – Hinduism, ‘Kyoto’ – Buddhism and Shintoism. Now available as eau de toilette and scented candles, the original incense sticks are becoming harder to find. Only 'Avignon' (Roman chamomile, elemi and vanilla), 'Jaisalmer' (cinnamon, cardamom and amber), 'Ourzazate' (nutmeg, labdanum, musk and wenge) and 'Zagorsk' (pimento berries, birch wood and iris) are still available and are in limited supply. We advise you to be quick off the mark…commesdesgarcons.com

British home fragrance brand Urban Apothecary crafts candles and diffusers that capture moods and memories

BY AMY BRADFORD

Tajinder Banwait started her home fragrance brand, Urban Apothecary, at her kitchen table, but you’d never know it from the sophisticated smoky glass packaging with minimalist labels. Each of her 10 scented candles and diffusers are hand-crafted in Britain and capture a different personal memory, from walking in woodland after rain to catching a waft of scent from a passing stranger. Highlights of the range include the autumnal ‘Bay Berry’, which combines sage-leaf and blackberry with undertones of caramel, and the sensual ‘Tuberose Petals’, which teams the creamy white flower with carnation, sandalwood and coconut.urbanapothecarylondon.com

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ABOVE: Coral pink (Pantone 16-1546) is Pantone’s Colour Of The Year for 2019. Symbolising comfort, warmth and joy this soothing hue is most welcome in these politically uncertain times. Expect to see an outbreak of this nurturing colour across all facets of interiors this year. From rugs to paint colours, from lighting to furniture it looks like we’ll be in the pink in 2019.pantone.com